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Fire Protectionat Methodist University

Graduates earn $30,637/yr in their first year — about 55.0% below the national Fire Protection average. Base-case 10-year earnings $447K; scenarios range from $422K to $445K depending on AI disruption.

Fayetteville, NC Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
32 AT RISK
33
Optimistic
24
Pessimistic
Earnings
$30,637
1-year post-graduation
ROI
0.9x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$447K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
35% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Methodist University

The outcomes here suggest a challenging path, reflecting specific dynamics within the fire protection sector, especially in the Fayetteville region. While a degree can be valuable for leadership or administrative roles like fire inspection or safety management, many entry-level firefighting positions prioritize direct academy training and certifications. Local municipal departments or private industrial safety firms often look for candidates with extensive practical experience or specific local accreditations before a four-year degree. This can make initial job placement and salary growth difficult if you're not targeting those specialized, less direct-response roles. Your career trajectory will heavily depend on networking and understanding the specific hiring pipelines of potential employers, like local fire departments or industrial safety companies. If you're considering this program, deeply investigate the exact career paths it prepares you for and how those align with regional employer needs, focusing on internships and certifications that complement your academic learning.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$422K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score24/100
Earnings Multiple2.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$447K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score32/100
Earnings Multiple2.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$445K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score33/100
Earnings Multiple2.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Methodist University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Fire Protection graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
2
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 6,500 openings/yr
$92,430/yr
Moderate
3
Fire inspectors and investigators
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$78,060/yr
Low
4
Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
+0.7% 10-yr growth · 8,800 openings/yr
$61,490/yr
Moderate
5
Firefighters
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 27,100 openings/yr
$59,530/yr
Low
6
Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
+14.6% 10-yr growth · 300 openings/yr
$52,380/yr
Low
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Fire Protection

How Methodist University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
IL · Public
64
DW Score
$104K
1-yr earn
18.6x
ROI
Waldorf University
IA · Private for-profit
68
DW Score
$98K
1-yr earn
8.9x
ROI
Purdue University Global
IN · Public
74
DW Score
$90K
1-yr earn
20.6x
ROI
University of Florida-Online
FL · Public
65
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
54.9x
ROI
Top score
Columbia Southern University
AL · Private for-profit
75
DW Score
$83K
1-yr earn
36.8x
ROI
Also at Methodist University

Other top programs at Methodist University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Methodist University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Fire Protection offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Fire Protection trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Fire Protection at Methodist University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Fire Protection at Methodist University?

A score of 32/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Fire Protection. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Can you still earn well with Fire Protection from Methodist University?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.